THE ROLE OF NATURAL TOURIST RESOURCES FOR BULGARIA’S TOURISM REPUTATION

The reputation of the territory is based above all on the territorial individuality, which consists of (1) the identification features of the site and (2) the set of its distinctive features and resources. Natural tourism resources, as an important part of this totality, contribute significantly to the formation of the reputation of the territory. More than two-thirds of the trips are directed to these resources. Therefore, they can be decisive. Bulgaria's natural tourism resources are varied and specific. Their peculiarities are determined by the location of the country in temperate latitudes along the fringe of the subtropics and bordering the Black Sea and the Danube. Having many mountains is also important for Bulgarian tourism and for shaping the tourist image of Bulgaria. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the use and to determine the importance of Bulgaria's natural tourism resources for the formation of the country's tourist reputation. The essence of such an issue is closely related to the opportunities, efficient exploitation and realization of the potential of these resources, on the one hand, and the establishment of a beneficial, active and consciously managed reputation in the tourist territory, on the other hand.